Music Feature

Free Jazz!

Dave Burrell and Han Bennink at the Philadelphia Art Alliance on January 30th

“Free Jazz! What does this even mean?” Dutch
drummer Han Bennink remarks in a small room on the 3rd floor of the
Philadelphia Art Alliance. “Does it mean you won’t get paid?” He laughs at his
own sarcastic question. Free jazz, he explains, means you can make the music
anything you want, which is exactly what he did, playing, for the first time in
history, in a duet with world-renowned jazz pianist Dave Burrell. During the
exquisite 5 song set Mr. Burrell presented original compositions while still
surprising the audience with jazz standard Lush Life, by the great Billy Strayhorn, signifying some of the
music that inspires him in his own work. Han, known for avant-garde percussion,
illustrated his creativity and showmanship by playing with a fist full of
drumsticks and, at one point, using the floor as a drumming surface. Front row
on lookers had almost as much fun helping the artists to create the impressive
scene.

“It feels like Europe in here,” Mr. Burrell said
of the intimate concert. The small rooms in the Philadelphia Art Alliance were
filled with listeners anxious to hear what proved to be an exquisite, free jazz
music lesson. What Mr. Burrell was alluding to was the closeness he often feels
to small audiences. Just before the show Two.One.Five. had an opportunity to
meet the two musicians and talk about jazz and its influence on young people
today.

The two celebrated artists behaved as old friends,
laughing and recounting youthful adventures, some of which seem almost too
fantastic to fathom. “I remember breakfast jam sessions in Holland and Sarah
Vaughn would show up, or Babs Gonzales shows up!” Burrell remembers. He went on
to describe the unbelievably lucky occasion when, from backstage, he watched
Miles Davis play an entire concert with his back to the audience, the front row
of which was filled with Vogue models. The detailed imagine of that scene was
crystal clear, from the greenish blue bugle horn Miles played that night, to
the flocks of women he seemingly ignored, in favor of the company of a fellow
musician. They reminisced about the ebbs
and flows of the jazz scene in America, as well as abroad. “You realize how
international the music is.” Burrell concludes. They agreed that the resurgence
of “free jazz” in both Europe and the US brings a certain excitement to their
continued work.

On the topic of inspiration, Han explained that
the first time he heard Dave Burrell play he was billed with Philadelphia’s own
Jimmy Heath, of the Heath brothers, at the historic Amsterdam club, the
Paradiso. Cosmic Relaxation Center Paradiso, as it is formally known, opened in
1968, just as young Europeans like Mr. Bennink were being newly awakened by jazz.
As Mr. Burrell described it, “you could lie in sleeping bags on the floor [of
the Paradiso] and the whole scene was relaxing and eclectic.” He was almost
comforted by the idea that the scene hasn’t changed all that much. “Now, they
[young fans] can have their hip hop and they can have jazz, too. They can have
their classical and it’s not a thing.” Burrell concluded, “Jazz is new and
appropriate, acceptable. Young artists today found something fresh and
unselfishly give something fresh and new back to the musical scene.” The music
continues to inspire new ideas.

Dave Burrell has enjoyed a long career in the
world of jazz and more than 50 years of performing, often alongside other
jazz legends like Archie Shepp, a Philadelphia native. Still, Mr. Burrell is
gracious and generous with his gift.
Burrell and Bennink concluded our interview by mentioning their fondness
for Philadelphia and its rich jazz heritage, making this concert a meaningful
event for the first time duo.

The Dave Burrell's and Han Bennink’s concert was
brought to Philadelphia Art Alliance by the ARS Nova Workshop, which strives to
bring jazz and experimental music into the lives of more Philadelphians. As for
Mr. Burrell, beginning in February he will embark on a European tour until fall.
For more information about Dave Burrell and his newest album, visit his website.